This volume of Mingus material brings together three sessions from 1952 and 1953, all of which emphasize vocal material. The first set of arrangements leans towards a cooler side of Mingus, with careful brushwork from Al Levitt, airy alto lines from Lee Konitz, and the inclusion of a cellist. Max Roach handles the drums on the second session.

While there is no record of how the musicians felt about working with lyrics like "If you make believe with all the fine chicks/Then you're sure to get some crazy way-out kicks," presumably everyone was more enthused about "Paris in Blue," which features a relaxed and spare Jackie Paris vocal in a more distinctly Mingus-like setting. The third session runs straight down the middle, 1950s-style, neither overly cool nor anywhere near avant. Honey Gordon holds forth in a husky, Sarah Vaughan-influenced alto. She is joined by the rest of her singing family on "You and Me" and "Bebopper," a de rigeur vocal tribute to jazz hipster style.

The only problem with creating an adventurous fusion jam album that flies in the face of the smooth jazz safety net is that sometimes, exciting playing takes precedence over memorable tunecrafting; Jeff Richman could use a little of Darren's facility with sharp, to the point melodic statements.

The recording of the electric guitarist's Sand Dance would probably have been fun to watch; Richman, bassist Dean Taba, drummer Joel Taylor, and EWI ace Judd Miller seem to be having a grand old time playing off each other's cues, soloing with abandon and shifting dynamics and tempos. There are spacy, noodling trio-based pieces ("2025"), raucous funk-rockers that break in the middle for moody meditation ("Bamboo Man"), and a sweet little reflective take on "One Hand, One Heart" from West Side Story. Richman himself seems intent on discovering every sonic possibility for his instrument -- "Ashes to Ashes" features crying, echoing long notes, "Bamboo Man" features a trickling water effect, and "Bohemia" is all distorted rock electricity. A blast? Sure, but more in the sense of great musicians coming together for a big party. Lots of spirit, just not enough melodically to take with you when you leave.

Xeo-Genetic showcases AUX 88 mastermind Tom Hamilton's sincere attempt to channel the DJ-orientated sounds of electro into the conceptual confines of a full-length album. This is no easy task; the quick tempos, limited palette, and syncopated rhythms of Hamilton's brand of electro don't make ideal listening music. Despite the challenge, Hamilton succeeds to a certain extent in his mission to seam together a total of 20 tracks. Songs such as "Play It Loud" and "Computer Speaks" represent the sort of energized ass shakers one would expect from any artist on the Detroit-based Direct Beat label. Their funky drum-machine rhythms, bleeping riffs, and Kraftwerk-like motifs define for many the ideal sound of electro. Of course, an entire album of dancefloor anthems would be little more than a DJ mix album similar to DJ Di'jital's Techno Bass 2: The Prototype Mix; instead, Hamilton inserts some down-tempo electro songs such as "I Need to Find Myself" and "Rise of the Phoenix" that craft moods more than they incite dancing. In addition, short sketches similar to those found on many rap albums appear every few songs.

Looking at the array of different songs on the album, the dancefloor anthems such as "Play It Loud" stand out as the album's highlights.

The down-tempo songs sound good and should hold the interest of anyone attracted to the electro side of techno. Unfortunately, the sketches detract from Xeo-Genetic's overall appeal; they may bring personality and a sense of motif to album, but they also sound silly at times. For example, "Hydro Spin" has a reporter going to visit a futuristic club to interview Hamilton, bringing a sense of lowbrow sci-fi kitsch to an otherwise album of serious music. In sum, Xeo-Genetic attempts what few have accomplished by constructing a conceptual electro album that is ultimately hampered by the often homogeneous sounds of Hamilton's music and a few embarrassing non-musical moments.